No No Machado?

[mightymac12]

A sad reality is this kid is the most consistent and impressive person on The Shack... Why is he not riding the Tour of Cali or France? Before this thread is flamed/taken-over by "Armstrong's Ego" remarks can any one think of a different reason?

Here is Tiago's Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiago_Machado

 

[Jamsque]

The Machado hype train left the station several moths ago, mightymac, and you missed the Inter-Sagan Express too. Sorry. You might be able to get a late seat on the Richie Porte wagon if you hurry.

 

[trompe le monde]

The Machado hype train left the station several moths ago, mightymac, and you missed the Inter-Sagan Express too. Sorry. You might be able to get a late seat on the Richie Porte wagon if you hurry.

I'm currently waiting to see if the Sacha Modolo Inter City will actually leave the station.

 

[Barrus]

The Machado hype train left the station several moths ago, mightymac, and you missed the Inter-Sagan Express too. Sorry. You might be able to get a late seat on the Richie Porte wagon if you hurry.

IS the Inter-Sagan Express gone already? I thought everyone was still impressed with him, I myself am wondering what he'll do in California, probably not too much, but he could surprise me yet again.

@ trompe, I find myself really liking Modolo, good sprinter who can survive difficult stages without the need of an entire team. If he keeps this up I won't be surprised if we see him in a pro-tour team next year

 

[El Imbatido]

I'm currently waiting to see if the Sacha Modolo Inter City will actually leave the station.

Atleast it is still better than 'Mollema Special' We haven't even made the station, i could be waiting a while. Correction the dutchies will be waiting a while

 

[issoisso]

A sad reality is this kid is the most consistent and impressive person on The Shack... Why is he not riding the Tour of Cali or France? Before this thread is flamed/taken-over by "Armstrong's Ego" remarks can any one think of a different reason?

Here is Tiago's Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiago_Machado

Because he's a neo-pro. Having him race the Tour this early is the best way to make sure he never fulfills his potential.

 

[mightymac12]

Because he's a neo-pro. Having him race the Tour this early is the best way to make sure he never fulfills his potential.

Why is it that as a young rider grand tours are something to be avoided? I am a neo-fan and don't understand this.

 

[Moondance]

Because he's a neo-pro. Having him race the Tour this early is the best way to make sure he never fulfills his potential.

He might be a neo-pro, but he's getting close to being 25 years old. He's certainly not a youngster. I don't see why he shouldn't be a candidate for a Shack Tour spot.

 

[theswordsman]

He might be a neo-pro, but he's getting close to being 25 years old. He's certainly not a youngster. I don't see why he shouldn't be a candidate for a Shack Tour spot.

Agreed. I made that same case a couple of months ago when someone gave the neo-pro lecture, and they weren't impressed with my mention of the Best Young Rider jersey. I asked for an example of a neo pro who did have his career ruined by participating a grand tour, but I don't think I got a reply. If he's been training enough over the years, riding and finishing a grand tour can bump up the fitness level for next year. Chris Carmichael goes on about it quite a bit. Seems to me that if he could go into one healthy and fresh, it will make him a better racer in the events we enjoyed this spring.

 

[issoisso]

He might be a neo-pro, but he's getting close to being 25 years old. He's certainly not a youngster. I don't see why he shouldn't be a candidate for a Shack Tour spot.

It's not about age. If he was 34 the same would apply.

You can't have them jumping into the longest, hardest races that soon or it'll screw up their development. It needs to be a gradual thing.

The ideal route is Vuelta-> Giro -> Tour

 

[mightymac12]

It's not about age. If he was 34 the same would apply.

You can't have them jumping into the longest, hardest races that soon or it'll screw up their development. It needs to be a gradual thing.

The ideal route is Vuelta-> Giro -> Tour

But isn't Cali< The other three in terms of intensity, and duration?

 

[mr. tibbs]

It's not about age. If he was 34 the same would apply.

You can't have them jumping into the longest, hardest races that soon or it'll screw up their development. It needs to be a gradual thing.

The ideal route is Vuelta-> Giro -> Tour

I don't understand this idea. It may very well be true, but I would need some convincing. As it stands now, I disagree strongly, and would suggest that it's high time for him to start playing in the big time.

Even if he gets crushed, who cares? It would be a valuable learning experience and a huge boost to his fitness to finish even half of the Tour. Plus, I would love to see him let loose a bit on some long climbing stages, so my intentions are somewhat selfish.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Machado won the best young rider's jersey at the Volta a Portugal in both 2007 and 2009. This shows he can climb some and he has some very good endurance - Portugal is the fourth-longest European race after the three GTs, and has at least two major MTFs (Sra. da Graça and the Alto da Torre).

I'd hope to see him given a shot in the Vuelta. 11 days in the baking heat of Portugal in August will surely mean he's well prepared for what to expect his body to do in the Vuelta, plus he could be the kind of guy to get into those week 3 breaks when many sprinters have left for the worlds, and nab a win or a placing that way, same as Deignan and Fuglsang last year.

 

[trompe le monde]

Atleast it is still better than 'Mollema Special' We haven't even made the station, i could be waiting a while. Correction the dutchies will be waiting a while

I didn't mean the comment in a flippant way. I like Modolo for the reasons Barrus mentions, hope he can steal a stage win during the Giro. Maybe it was a bit of an over-reaction to a La Gazzetta column in Friday's edition that called him 'Il piccolo Cannibale…'.

 

[issoisso]

But isn't Cali< The other three in terms of intensity, and duration?

You'll notice I talked about the Tour.

As for California, he's said it himself he's tired from being racing hard in good form since February. He shouldn't have been selected to ride Romandie, he should be resting so he can build for the Vuelta.

Machado won the best young rider's jersey at the Volta a Portugal in both 2007 and 2009. This shows he can climb some and he has some very good endurance - Portugal is the fourth-longest European race after the three GTs, and has at least two major MTFs (Sra. da Graça and the Alto da Torre).

I'd hope to see him given a shot in the Vuelta. 11 days in the baking heat of Portugal in August will surely mean he's well prepared for what to expect his body to do in the Vuelta, plus he could be the kind of guy to get into those week 3 breaks when many sprinters have left for the worlds, and nab a win or a placing that way, same as Deignan and Fuglsang last year.

Exactly. The Vuelta is the way to go with him this season.

 

[mightymac12]

I appreciate the insight. Thanks guys.

 

[offbyone]

He is on a very talented team and so the roster simply can fit everyone. I am sure he will be there in future years, but right now there are just too many experienced tour riders and gc contenders on the squad. However, he is probably an injury away from the TDF squad.

 

[Polish]

Because he's a neo-pro. Having him race the Tour this early is the best way to make sure he never fulfills his potential.

Lance rode the TdF in his FIRST full year as a PRO. He was younger than humble Tiago. Did not seem to hurt Lance...17 years later and he is still riding TdF's.

Of couse, Eddy waited four years as a Pro before his First TdF.
He did really well also. Hinault waited a few years too...

Greg waited three years I think.

So I guess it depends on the constitution of the Rider.

But maybe if you start early like Lance, you get a chance to "warm-up".
Of course, you cannnot be expected to WIN in your first year as a Pro lol.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He is on a very talented team and so the roster simply can fit everyone. I am sure he will be there in future years, but right now there are just too many experienced tour riders and gc contenders on the squad. However, he is probably an injury away from the TDF squad.

Their roster CAN fit everyone. They could quite easily have sent the likes of Brajkovic to the Giro, but they can apparently only manage one race at a time, and with everyone at Cali, the Italian Race simply has to go without, because there just isn't the depth of talent at Omerta Inc.

 

[luckyboy]

It's not about age. If he was 34 the same would apply.

You can't have them jumping into the longest, hardest races that soon or it'll screw up their development. It needs to be a gradual thing.

The ideal route is Vuelta-> Giro -> Tour

The Giro is harder than the Tour though, at least in terms of the parcours (Pedantic, I know).

 

[issoisso]

The Giro is harder than the Tour though, at least in terms of the parcours (Pedantic, I know).

Yes, but the riders always remark how the flat stages at the Giro, and also the first half of harder stages are very laid back and almost like rest days, unlike the Tour where the racing is from the gun every day.

 

[luckyboy]

Ah ok, fair enough.

 

[offbyone]

Their roster CAN fit everyone. They could quite easily have sent the likes of Brajkovic to the Giro, but they can apparently only manage one race at a time, and with everyone at Cali, the Italian Race simply has to go without, because there just isn't the depth of talent at Omerta Inc.

Actually they didn't get an invite to the Giro. They surely could have got an invite if a GC contender like Lance or Levi wanted to go, but the giro didn't want their second best team. Obviously defending Levi's ToC title has to take a priority and he is going to need all the help he can get with the elevated level of competition coming to Cali this year.

Nevertheless, Machado did a lot of racing in march and april and he might need some rest on his schedule.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

They didn't get an invite, and I'm not sure they wanted one. They span it as the second one after Zomegnan took pleasure in not inviting them, anyway. And "obviously defending Levi's ToC title has to take priority"? Has to? Cali is THAT important? And the elevated level of competition? Really? Have you been swallowing Bob Stapleton's line whole? California has a few stars on the lineup but there aren't too many who are going to trouble the GC. Who's going to beat Levi, Tom Boonen? Fabian Cancellara? Actually maybe Cancellara, since he could reasonably take 2 or 3 minutes out of Levi on an ITT if Levi time trialled like he does when he isn't riding for Bruyneel...

No, the Giro, the second biggest race of the year, and defending Levi's title in the Tour of Suburbs And The Occasional Foothill "has to" take priority?

 

[Barrus]

Actually they didn't get an invite to the Giro. They surely could have got an invite if a GC contender like Lance or Levi wanted to go, but the giro didn't want their second best team. Obviously defending Levi's ToC title has to take a priority and he is going to need all the help he can get with the elevated level of competition coming to Cali this year.

Nevertheless, Machado did a lot of racing in march and april and he might need some rest on his schedule.

I don't really know that, I think there is some bad blood between the organisers of the giro and Lance Armstrong, which could well have hurt the chances of an invitation to the Giro

@ Libertine, it is well possible that it would be important for US sponsors such as HTC Columbia, Radioshack and Garmin. However it is true that most of these should have enough good riders to get a really good team at the giro, such as Garmin and HTC have done and a good team at the ToC